October 9, 2010 - A new study conducted at the Polytechnic University of Cartagena found that once you factor in health-care and early-death costs of smoking, each pack of cigarettes costs up to $150. The study, published in the Spanish Journal of Public Health, used Spain's public health and labour data to crunch the numbers.

"Public policy plays a crucial role in the prevention of smoking and improving health of the population," the study reads. "The estimated cost of premature death per package of tobacco is a key element in the cost-effectiveness of prevention polices and tobacco control."

The study examined average lost wages, cost of health care, social costs, and the economic impacts of lost retail sales to determine the total cost of smoking per pack of cigarettes.The study found that the average cost of a pack of cigarettes was higher for men than women, but this was largely due to a difference in average wages and a difference in the number of cigarettes an addicted smoker is likely to consume.For men, the average pack of cigarettes costs approximately $150, while the price is roughly $106 for women.

Currently, Korea’s male smoker rate hovers around 45 percent, compared with 17.9 percent in the United States and 19.9 percent in Canada, according to the OECD Health Data 2010.

An average pack of 20 cigarettes is sold at 2,500 won ($2.2) here, one of the lowest, if not the lowest, among the OECD countries. A pack of cigarettes costs around $4.17 in Greece, $4.75 in Japan, $7.28 in France, $9.94 in the U.K., $11.1 in Ireland and $10.80 in New York, according to Bloomberg and the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association in London.

Few deny that an increase in tobacco prices would reduce tobacco consumption, but the majority of smokers remain skeptical about such a drastic pricing policy, raising questions about fairness and concerns over possible side effects.

A World Bank report shows that a 10 percent increase in price would lead to a 4 to 8 percent drop in tobacco demand. Experts say an increase in price would have more of an impact on younger people as teenagers and those in their early 20s would find it difficult to afford such a habit. They claim that a 10 percent increase in price would lower youth smoking rates by some 6 percent and reduce the average number of cigarettes consumed by them by 12 percent.

The majority of policy makers, including new Health Minister Chin Soo-hee, have expressed their support for the KCDCP’s pitch. “It will be inevitable to raise cigarette prices as non-price policies alone cannot curb the smoking epidemic,” Chin told the press on Sept. 17. “The government is pushing a price hike not for the sake of raising additional funds for its health insurance budget, but to lower the smoking rate.”

Korea has seen moderate success when it has raised tobacco prices. When the government increased taxes to raise the average price of a pack of cigarettes from 1,800 won (1.61 USD) to 2,000 won (1.78 USD)in 2002, it witnessed the percentage of male smokers drop from 61 percent to 57 percent in a year. When it increased the price by another 500 won (0.45 USD) to 2,500 won (2.23 USD) in 2005, the smoking rate fell by 8 percent in the following year.

The KCDCP’s call for a price of 8,000 won (7.14 USD) per pack coincides with results of a Ministry of Health and Welfare survey carried out on some 3,000 adults nationwide this year. When the ministry asked about an ideal cigarette price to discourage smoking, the average figure was 8,511 won, suggesting that addiction to cigarettes is so strong that only a dramatic increase will have an impact.A 2010 poll of 12,000 people by broadcasting station KBS found that only 23 percent of the surveyed smokers said they would stop smoking if the average cigarette price doubles to 5,000 won (4.46 USD). Of them, 28.6 percent answered that they will keep smoking no matter how high the price may go up. Minister Chin and other non-smokers will face an uphill battle to persuade nicotine addicts, who currently pay slightly more than 1,500 won (1.34 USD) in taxes for a pack of cigarettes, to pay more. The KBS survey shows that 66 percent of Korean smokers are still opposed to the idea of a price increase, though 74 percent of non-smokers support an increase in tobacco tax.

Many remain critical about a cigarette price hike, arguing that it would result in serious side effects, such as an increase in tobacco smuggling, and worsen economic polarization. Francesca Cornaglia from the University of London claims that smokers may buy fewer cigarettes when the price goes up, but inhale more deeply or smoke more of the cigarette to ensure nicotine levels in the body remain constant. “When that happens, the filter doesn’t really work for the second half of the cigarette as good as it does for the first half because it has already absorbed tar and substances,” she said. “So the second half of the cigarette actually gets filtered less properly than the first half.”

Other experts claim that a price increase will have negative effects on people in poverty and those less educated, who have a much higher smoking rate. They say those more educated and financially stable are more aware of the harmful effects of smoking and have a higher tendency to stop smoking when the price goes up.

Tobacco smuggling and cross-border shopping is also another concern. In Britain, the high tax-induced price of tobacco products has led to many smokers seeking alternative cheaper sources of cigarettes, both legal (duty-free and cross-border shopping) and illegal (smuggling and bootlegging). It is estimated that non-UK duty paid consumption accounted for 21 percent of the cigarettes and 58 percent of the handrolling tobacco in the U.K.

Rep. Son Sook-mee of the governing Grand National Party claims that authorities seized 762 cases of cigarette smuggling worth 19.5 billion won in Korea between 2006 through July 2010. She says smuggling and related crime will skyrocket once the government introduces a price hike in tobacco prices, noting that cigarette smuggling to Korea increased 16 times in 2009, compared to the previous year.

“Smuggled cigarettes will also pose a great health risk to the public as it is difficult to find out when they were made and what kind of toxic chemicals were added in them due to a questionable manufacturing process,” Son said.

Doctors say life expectancy decreases about 12 minutes per cigarette and 30 percent of heart ailments are linked to smoking, which causes more deaths than alcohol, AIDS, illegal drugs, auto accidents, fire, murder, and suicide combined. The World Health Organization (WHO) claims that smoking is also a leading cause of preventable death, with 100 million deaths attributed to it during the 20th century, and nearly one billion deaths projected for the 21st century.

In Australia, about 300,000 people quit smoking in the two months after the government increased tobacco excise by 25 percent in April this year. (Australia - tobacco tax increase results in more people quitting..) A survey by pharmaceutical company Pfizer found that 1.2 million, or 38 percent, of smokers attempted to quit after the surprise tax increase at the end of April. In comparison, some 29 percent of smokers attempted to quit in the three months before the tax hike. Overall, 9 percent of smokers successfully quit in May and June and 29 percent said the price increase had led to them smoking fewer cigarettes.

October 8, 2010 - Turkey’s indoor smoking ban that took full effect as of July 2009 has resulted in cigarette sales in the country dropping by 16.2 percent this year over the same period last year, according to data from the Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Agency (TAPDK).

According to these figures, 3.64 billion packs were sold in the first eight months of last year, compared to 3.1 billion this year. The effect of the smoking ban on cigarette sales was seen starting in the second half of last year, but smokers in Turkey still spend almost as much for tobacco products as the government allocates to investment.

The ban on smoking in public places first went into effect in May 2008 but was implemented gradually. The provisions of the law that introduce the smoking ban in restaurants, cafeterias and coffeehouses took full effect starting July 19, 2009. There was a significant fall in cigarette sales in 2009, during which a total of 5.4 billion packs were sold. However, the most serious drop was experienced this year. Last year in February, a total of 389 million packs were sold compared to 298 million packs this year. Even the tourism season and a higher number of foreign visitors to Turkey this year could not slow the fall. In July of this year 79 million fewer packs were sold than in July of 2008, while in August 44 million fewer packs were sold in comparison with the previous year.

During the more than four-and-a-half years from the start of 2006 up to August 2010, 25 billion packs were consumed in Turkey. In terms of single cigarettes smoked, this figure amounts to 492 billion. In monetary terms, this amounts to TL 86 billion. On average, smokers spend a total of TL 18 million on cigarettes, which nears the TL 22 billion in this year’s budget allocated by the state for hospital, school, road, utilities and other investments.According to a recent survey by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat), 31.3 percent of individuals age 15 and higher use tobacco on a daily or regular basis; 47.9 of the smoking population are men, while 15.2 percent are women; and 8.4 percent of the 13-18 age group are smokers. The percentage of boys in this age group is 9.4 percent, while 5.3 percent are girls. These figures actually show an increase in the smoking rate for this group, which stood at 6.0 percent in 2003. TurkStat figures also show that tobacco addiction has become more common among women in comparison with the past.

October 8, 2010 - The department of health is proposing to ban tobacco displays in retail locations in Northern Ireland as of 1 July 2011, the Belfast Telegraph reported on Friday, October 1st.The assembly had already approved the display ban in March 2009, but Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politicians wanted the ban to take effect in 2013 to give retailers the time to fund changes to their premises. (Northern Ireland - assembly approves ban on display of tobacco items..)

Health minister Michael McGimpsey: “By introducing measures banning cigarette displays in shops, we are protecting our children and young people, and we are also supporting those smokers in our society who are attempting to quit.

Every year, 2,700 deaths in Northern Ireland are caused by smoking.

Merchants feel the cigarette displays in shops would increase the number of smokers buying on the black market. Three-quarters of corner shopkeepers believed putting tobacco under the counter will make smokers feel like they are doing something illegal, a survey for the Tobacco Retailers' Alliance said. (Concern over cigarette display ban, Belfast Telegraph, 8/25/2010)

Health Minister Micheal McGimpsey launched a consultation which puts the current tobacco control regulations under scrutiny on Friday, October 1, 2010. It will seek views from retailers and members of the public on the advertising of tobacco in shops and the sale of tobacco from vending machines. If the proposals go ahead, tobacco displays at point of sale in shops will be banned from 1 July 2011 and in vending machines from 1 October 2011.

The law in a nutshell* Individuals found smoking in public indoor places may be issued with a fine ranging from 50 to 500 euros.* Owners of public places (restaurants, cafes, workplaces etc) where people are found smoking, those found guilty of selling tobacco and alcohol products to minors, and those found in contravention of the ban on tobacco advertising, will face a fine ranging from 500 to 10,000 euros. On their fifth violation, their respective operating licence will be cancelled.* Repeat offenders in all categories will pay higher fines(1.00 EURO = 1.28 USD)Source: Article 17 of Law 3868/2010, published in the Government Gazette on August 3

“Everywhere, I mean in eight out of ten cases, the ban is being violated — and this is really bad for the state,” Health Minister Andreas Loverdos told lawmakers late on Wednesday, October 6th after undercover inspectors went to check on bars and restaurants.Bars and restaurants were given one month, until October 1, to comply with the September 1 ban on smoking in indoor public places — no easy task in a country where about 40 percent of people smoke.

Inspectors can impose up to 10,000 euros ($13,990) in fines on bar-owners tolerating smoking and up to 500 euros for smokers who break the law.

Dozens of bar owners rallied in a central square in Athens to protest against the ban, with banners reading: “We say yes to ashtrays.” Some also shut their cafes.“Bars are dependent on tobacco, music and coffee. If this law is implemented, it will be a disaster. They will shut down,” said bar owner Spyros Aloyannis.

The government has also increased the tax on tobacco in a revenue-raising measure under a fiscal austerity plan mandated by an EU/IMF bailout to ease Greece’s sovereign debt crisis.

October 7, 2010 - Kretek International, Inc., (kretek - crackling sound of burning cloves) leading importer and marketer of specialty tobacco products announced the national rollout of a new line of CIG2O (sig-two-oh) e-cigarette products. The line of competitively priced CIG2O e-cigarettes was successfully launched in smoke shops early in 2010. The strength of adult consumer response, plus stated preference during research studies, led to the current nationwide roll-out to c-stores and other channels, says the company.

Starting on September 22, 2009, based on the on the new tobacco law, HR 1256 The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, it was illegal to sell cigarettes flavored with cloves, fruit – anything but menthol. The new FDA law prohibits cigarettes with a characterizing flavor other than tobacco or menthol, but cigars are not covered by the new FDA ban.

Kretek International (KI), the nation's top distributor of clove cigarettes (97 percent of U.S. market) is offering fans a new way to get their fix after the spice-flavored cigarettes are banned - the New Clove Cigars..

The new filtered cigars—close to the size of a cigarette and flavored with clove, vanilla and cherry—allow KI, which imports Djarum-brand tobacco products from Indonesia, to avoid new federal laws banning flavored cigarettes other than menthol.

October 7, 2010 - An Ontario Tory (Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario) MPP (member of provincial parliament) introduced a private member's bill in Queens Park in Toronto (Legislative Assembly of Ontario) Wednesday, October 6th that would make it illegal for anyone under the age of 19 to smoke cigarettes. Under existing laws, it's illegal to sell cigarette to children and teens, but strictly speaking, it's not against the law for youths to smoke or possess them.

Conservative Gerry Martiniuk introduced a private member's bill in the legislature that will ban teens from possessing, consuming or attempting to purchase tobacco. (In Canada, a private member's bill is a bill introduced in the House of Commons by a member of parliament who is not a cabinet minister. A private member's bill follows the same legislative process as a government bill, but the time allocated for its consideration is restricted. Very few private member's bills become law. Private Member's Bill by Susan Munroe, About.com Guide)

Canada Ontario/Quebec - make it illegal for minors to possess tobacco products..Martiniuk said current rules don't go far enough to stamp out the practice. Although the teen smoking rate is at an all-time low nationally, the figure is creeping higher in Ontario, Martiniuk said, because the availability of contraband cigarettes makes it easy for teens to find cigarettes. "The youth smoking rate in Ontario is now growing because of easy access to cheap, illegal cigarettes," he said. But even Martiniuk admitted the best course of action would be to lower taxes to eliminate illegal cigarettes.

"I am concerned with the low price of illegal tobacco, a problem which we are all aware is making smoking affordable for our young people to experiment with," he said. "The sale of these illegal cigarettes is largely in the hands of organized crime, and they are targeting our young people."

A 2008 study by the Canadian Convenience Stores Association found that almost half of the cigarettes smoked in the province were contraband. Ontario's Auditor General found in a report that same year that the province fails to collect $500 million in tobacco taxes each year, largely due to contraband tobacco.

Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best also indicated Wednesday the Liberal government would not back Martiniuk's bill. "We want to ensure that they don't start to smoke in the first place, and we do not want to criminalize the young people. That is definitely not our intent," said Best. "We want adults to take responsibility for ensuring that children are armed with the knowledge of how dangerous it is for them to smoke."

Private member's bills rarely become law in Ontario. The smoking ban seems unlikely to survive past a second reading since the ruling Liberal government has already signalled it will not support the legislation.

October 7, 2010 - Back on June 16, 2000 we reported Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) planned to appeal a Colombian regulator's decision to deny its $452 million bid to acquire privately owned cigarette maker Productora Tabacalera de Colombia, or Protabaco.

Yesterday, June 6th PMI announced that the Superintendent of Industry and Trade of Colombia has issued its final decision pertaining to PMI's previously announced intention to acquire Productora Tabacalera de Colombia, Protabaco Ltda. in July of 2009. Approval to proceed with the acquisition has been granted subject to several significant conditions and constraints.

PMI will now thoroughly review those conditions and determine whether or not the strategic rationale and financial attractiveness of the originally envisaged transaction can still be safeguarded in the best interest of its shareholders.

PMI anticipates that it will be in a position to make a final determination on whether or not to proceed within the next three months.

October 7, 2010 - A new survey has given Australia another reason to malign smokers - they are to blame for most of Australia's litter. Keep Australia Beautiful observes eight sites in each state twice a year, passing on the cigarette butt count to 'Butt Free Australia'.

The national survey, which has been running for five years, found the most litter per 1000 square metres in Tasmania, and the least in Victoria. 56 butts 1,000 square metres was measured in Tasmania, the highest in the country and well above the national average of 32 butts. The national average was 66 items of litter per 1000 square metres or 7.55 litres in volume.

Keep Australia Beautiful chairman Don Chambers credited Victoria's approach, which allows motorists who witness littering from cars to report it, with its low litter rate. "There is a group of people who will always litter unless they know they will be fined," he said. "They are not interested in the environmental issues, they are not embarrassed by dropping rubbish."

Cigarette butts were clearly the most common kind of litter counted, with 32 butts per 1000 square metres in the 2009/2010 survey, up from 30 butts in the previous count.

October 6, 2010 - The International Tobacco Control (ITC) Policy Evaluation Project has published 11 academic papers covering various aspects of tobacco cessation in a special issue of Nicotine & Tobacco Research Volume 12 suppl 1 October 2010.

The publication is timely as the global community, through the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is seeking to develop Guidelines for the implementation of Article 14 of the Convention which requires Parties to take effective measures to reduce tobacco dependence and promote cessation of tobacco use.

October 6, 2010 - ALOR SETAR (is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia): Kedah Health Department employees who smoke will not be eligible for the annual excellence performance awards even if they do well in their work.

Director Dr Marzukhi Md Isa said all the 13,000 department personnel had been informed ab

“Thirty percent or 3,900 of our 13,000 department personnel are smokers. As staff representing a health department, they should act as role models. Thus, I hope that they will quit smoking,” he told newsmen after attending the state-level World Heart Day celebration here yesterday.celebration here yesterday. He said that more than 16,000 people received treatment for heart problems in the state and the smoking habit was cited as one of the causes of the illness.

Dr Marzukhi said the department was conducting campaigns to encourage its personnel to quit smoking, including giving them acknowledgement certificates for their effort.“This is the first time we are not selecting smokers for the awards and it will continue in the future,” he said.

In another matter: Malaysia's conservative Islamic party will field only a candidate who does not smoke in an upcoming by-election, reports, as the party seeks to boost its Islamic image. The Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS), which is a part of the opposition alliance, said the candidate it will pick for the poll in northern Kelantan state must display good Islamic character and the person must be a non-smoker. (Malaysia Islamic party to pick 'non-smoking candidate', AFP, 10/3/2010)Reference: Health Dept snuffs out excellence awards for smokers by EMBUN MAJID, the Star, 10/4/2010,

October 6, 2010 - Giving up smoking can dramatically improve flagging sex lives, according to a study conducted by a Hong Kong university.

The University of Hong Kong study found 53.8 percent of smokers being treated for impotence said that their problems eased within six months of stubbing out their nicotine habits. That figure compared to just 28.1 percent of men treated for erectile dysfunction who continued smoking, meaning quitters have a 91.5 percent greater chance of a better sex life. More than 700 men suffering from erectile dysfunction aged 30 to 50 took part in the three-year study by the university's School of Public Health and Nursing.

Sophia Chan, a professor who helped conduct the survey, said erectile dysfunction was "very prevalent" in China and Asia and added that programmes to help smokers quit should be extended across the region. Her colleague Lam Tai-hing said: "Smokers should be aware of such adverse effects from their smoking and should quit now to prevent erectile dysfunction and other diseases caused by smoking.

October 6, 2010 - Tobacco control experts are calling for additional research on reducing the nicotine content of cigarettes and other tobacco products. Nicotine reduction, they wrote in an article published online October 1 in Tobacco Control, has the potential to profoundly affect smoking rates in the United States, but many outstanding questions remain and will require a focused and collaborative research effort.

After picking up a smoking habit because of cigarettes being thrown into his enclosure at the Mangaung Zoo in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Charlie began to bum smokes from zoo visitors by gesturing to his mouth with two fingers, mimicking the actions of smokers he'd watched. (See photos of the world's most endangered primates)

Visitors continued to indulge the chimp, bringing on a hailstorm of accusations from animal rights activists when videos surfaced online not long after, prompting Bloemfontein zoo officials to try to cut Charlie's nicotine supply off entirely.

Zoo officials claim that smoking was not a factor in the Charlie's death, who at 52, lived ten years beyond the normal life expectancy of the average chimpanzee.

October 6. 2010 - The primary focus of the plan will be on enforcement of the laws and regulations pertaining to the promotion and advertising of menthol and other cigarettes to youth generally, and to youth in minority communities.

October 5, 2010 - Star Scientific Inc. said the U.S. government would consider reopening an examination of two of the company's patents. (US Patent & Trademark Office revoked/ “vacated” its prior notice to terminate Star Scientific's patent, pertinent in their dispute with RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company.)

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, a unit of Reynolds American Inc. (RAI), requested the re-examination of two patents in January 2009. The companies have been battling in federal court over Star's patents for a method of curing tobacco that reduces some toxins in the end product.

Monday, October 4th Star said its lawyer received a letter from the patent office that vacates the office's May notice it would be ending the re-examination. Star Chairman Paul L. Perito said the company was working on a response that the company believes will reopen the examination.

"We also continue to believe that once the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has had the opportunity to review all issues relevant to the proceedings, we will prevail on the merits," he said.

CHR Chair Loretta Rosales expressed on Monday, October 4th her support for groups that have called for the implementation of the Department of Health's Administrative Order 2010-0013, compelling tobacco manufacturers to put pictures of the debilitating effects of smoking on their packs.

Rosales, who admitted to be a former chain smoker who kicked the habit in 1994, said the companies' refusal to follow the rules “was a rights violation.” “The companies who do not implement the Administrative Order (AO) should be charged,” she said in a press briefing on Monday.

She noted that the health department has put the law in place to protect the lives and health of the public. CHR Commissioner Cecilia Quisumbing said the companies who have been fighting the law were guilty of “impunity.” The CHR chief issued the call for companies to follow the law after a support group of laryngeal cancer survivors appealed to her to pressure tobacco firms after two companies managed to secure an injunction against the order.

“Every day, 250 Filipinos die of smoking-related illness. But tobacco companies have not just refused to comply with the AO, they've also filed cases left and right against the Department of Health,” Emer Rojas, president of New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) said. “I have laryngeal cancer, a form of cancer that is 99% caused by smoking. The lying must stop so others will not have to go through the suffering and pain that we, victims of cigarettes – and our families – went through,” he added.

Recently, Fortune Tobacco, which is owned by tycoon Lucio Tan, and Mighty J, has asked the court to invalidate the Administrative Order (AO). The court granted their requests, prompting the Department of Health to contest the injunction orders.

The NVAP noted that placing pictures of ailments caused by smoking would discourage people, especially minors, from taking up the habit. It noted that the AO was consistent with the health department's mandate to protect the public's health.

Click to enlarge.. October 5, 2010 - The ban on sale of small cigarette packs, clamped through a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO), which takes effect on October 1, 2010, is being seen as a major stride forward in dissuading youth from tobacco use. If implemented in letter and spirit by manufacturers and retailers, the measure will prove significant in arresting the growing trend of smoking among youth.

For a country in turmoil - these public health minded people deserve a lot of credit in pushing ahead with tobacco control reforms..

Talking to ‘The News’, Director General Tobacco Control Yusuf Khan explained that the new SRO comprises two parts; the first deals with cigarette manufacturers and importers while the second is aimed at cigarette sellers or retailers.

According to the first part of SRO-863, all cigarette packs being manufactured by cigarette companies in Pakistan will be sold in packets of 20 cigarettes with effect from October 1, 2011. The sale of small packets containing 10, 5 or even three cigarettes will be illegal after this date, he said. “This is because it is much more affordable for youth and persons belonging to the poorer segments of the society to buy smaller packs of cigarettes rather than packs of 20 or more cigarettes,” he said. Yusuf Khan elaborated that youth and the poor are two segments that need to be protected most from falling into the habit of smoking.

Pakistan, with an estimated population of around 17.3 million in 2008, is the sixth most populous country in the world and most populous country of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Over 50% of the total population is under 20 years old; 42% is under 15 years of age. Males constitute 51% of the population. Although its urban population is steadily increasing, Pakistan remains a largely a rural country, with only 36% of the total population living in urban settings. (Progress in tobacco control in Egypt and Pakistan, Wordl Health Organization, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, August 2010)

The SRO further stipulates that cigarette packs imported for consumption in Pakistan will not be cleared from the port of entry unless they are in a packet of at least 20 cigarettes. A period of one year has been granted to cigarette manufacturers and importers to adjust their manufacturing and business systems according to the new requirements of the Ministry of Health.

In addition, local manufacturers and importers will have to ensure that each cigarette pack, whether manufactured in Pakistan or imported for consumption in Pakistan, should have legibly printed on the side panel, in Urdu: “Sale to Persons under 18 Years of Age is Prohibited: Ministry of Health, Government of Pakistan.” SRO-863 also prohibits the sale of sweets, snacks or toys in the form of cigarettes that may appeal to any person under the age of 18.

According to the second part of the SRO, which that deals with responsibilities of retailers or sellers, it shall be the duty of every seller of cigarettes to ensure, within his premises, that neither a person under the age of 18 years is permitted to sell or offer for sale cigarettes, nor should the same be sold to customers who under 18 years of age. Every seller will clearly and prominently display an A-4 size warning prescribed by the Ministry of Health saying, “Sale of cigarettes to persons under the age of 18 years is prohibited by law.” In case of doubt about the age of the customer, it shall be the duty of the seller of cigarettes to ask the customer to provide evidence, which may be in the form of the national identity card, to prove that he or she has reached the age of 18 years.

“The Ministry of Health recognises that tobacco companies want to aggressively market and recruit the youth of Pakistan as ‘replacement smokers’ and future customers, as 100,000 of their older customers die of tobacco-related illnesses every year in Pakistan. We intend to reverse this trend,” the spokesman said.

October 5, 2010 - On Monday, October 4th, Swedish Match (SM) and Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) announce the creation of a global company with leading market positions in cigars, pipe tobacco and fine cut tobacco.

Background: In Swedish Match 2009 Annual Report under Reshaping Swedish Match: Swedish Match International makes up the fourth division, with production and supply chain responsibility for cigars, as well as sales responsibility for cigars in Europe and the US premium cigar market, and overall responsibility for managing the lights and pipe tobacco businesses. As outlined in greater detail further below, if the proposed creation of a new company with Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) is achieved, much of what is now Swedish Match International will become part of this new company.

On January 15, 2010, Swedish Match AB announced that it had signed a letter of intent with Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) which would, if an agreement is reached, combine the cigar and pipe tobacco businesses of Swedish Match (with the exception of the US machine made cigar business) with the cigar, pipe tobacco, and fine cut tobacco businesses of STG.

Swedish Match has contributed its cigar businesses (with the exception of US mass market cigars and its minority interest in Arnold André) as well as its pipe tobacco and accessories businesses. STG has contributed all of its tobacco businesses (cigars, pipe tobacco and fine cut tobacco. Skandinavisk Holding A/S holds 51 percent of the new STG, and Swedish Match the remaining 49 percent.

The joint venture to create the world’s second-largest cigar maker makes the Scandinavian snuff maker an easier takeover target, according to Rolf Karp, an analyst at Ohman Equities. Swedish Match will be able to focus on the smokeless business now,” Karp said. “It does make it a bit easier to take over, because you could just sell off the remaining stake in cigars.”

October 5, 2010 - Yesterday, October 4th the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Seneca Nation cigarette merchant Scott B. Maybee, who asked the justices to overturn a lower-court ruling that he must obey Idaho laws regulating tobacco sales.

Without comment, the justices let stand an Idaho Supreme Court ruling that said Maybee must register with the state and pay a fee, just like all other tobacco merchants. The state adopted the laws after a national legal settlement between the states and tobacco companies was implemented in 1998.

In the original lawsuit, the state claimed Maybee, a Native American from New York, was violating state laws requiring cigarette peddlers to register with the state and pay a fee to the state. The laws were passed in the wake of the national tobacco settlement in 1998.

Maybee claimed Idaho laws don't apply because he's protected by federal interstate and Indian commerce laws. The justices disagreed and awarded attorney fees and costs to the state.

October 5, 2010 - Raleigh Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a beating that left one person in critical condition.

Witnesses say 23-year-old Evan Benjamin Lawrence was smoking a cigarette outside of the bar when he flicked the cigarette, which reportedly "hit somebody on the leg."Lawrence's father, Ben, says that is when his son apologized but the suspect "went crazy wrestling with him."

During the fight Lawrence received what doctors would later classify as massive, life-threatening head trauma. But at the time, he walked away from the bar to his apartment about a block away. "His friends checked on him and stayed with him all night and kept him awake," Ben Lawrence explained. "He wouldn't go to the hospital."

Ben said Evan's friends finally drove him to Rex Hospital in Raleigh. "They got him there some 18 hours after the incident," Ben said. Evan is still listed in critical condition at Rex Hospital.